


Just go Numb

by unending_happiness



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is a workaholic, Angst, Because i dont think my heart could take much of this, Drabble, Episode: s02e19 Hail and Farewell, Im so glad they made up, M/M, Parabatai Bond, Parabatai Feels, Post-Break Up, Post-Episode: s02e18 Awake Arise Or Be Forever Fallen, Siblings, Takes place during s02e19, izzy and jace are great siblings, ouch it hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 07:13:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12835998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unending_happiness/pseuds/unending_happiness
Summary: Alec is throwing himself into work after his breakup with Magnus, and Jace and Izzy are worried about him, and trying to help him in different ways.





	Just go Numb

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to go through my drabbles on my blog and upload everything here too. 
> 
> I have no excuse for this painful thing, other than I needed to get it out or I was going to lose my mind. It seemed to really resonate with people, so I'm posting it here too. It's Post 2x18 and during Magnus and Alec's brief break-up. This would happen somewhere in the middle of episode 02x19 after the Downworlder Counsel at the Institute. This is my interpretation of how Alec would deal with heartbreak.
> 
> Not beta'd so please forgive my mistakes.

just go numb  
“Again!” Alec jumped up and resumed his fight stance like they hadn’t already done this more times than he could count today.

“Really? We’ve been at this for hours. Don’t you have some papers to push or something?” Jace rolled his shoulder, having gone down hard on it that last round.

“No. I did it all last night. Stop stalling.” Alec bounced back and forth on the balls of his feet, his hands up and ready to fight.

Jace tried again. “How about a bacon burger? Aren’t you hungry?”

“No. Would you just stop screwing around and get in stance already?”

Jace shook his head. “Fine. I hope you are ready to get your ass kicked again.”

Izzy’s heels clicked as she walked into the training room. “Alec,” she said, sounding much like their mother when they were in trouble.

Jace gave her a look. Pleading with his eyes. Don’t start. He knew Izzy meant well, but she didn’t understand this. Not really.

“Isabelle,” Alec returned her tone, but motioned with his right hand for Jace to step forward.

“When was the last time you slept?” She asked, her arms crossing over her chest.

Alec ignored her, focusing on Jace.

“Alec. Please.”

“I’m not tired.”

Izzy didn’t back down. “Clary said you were in your office all night. When is the last time you ate?” she asked sternly.

Alec dropped his arms, exasperated. He leveled his eyes to hers. “Nourishment rune.” He pointed to himself. “Shadowhunter…remember.”

Jace flinched at the wave of sadness that washed over him as Alec finished his sentence. He looked from Izzy to Alec to see what had happened, but his brother was every bit as stoic on the outside as he had been for the last three days. He furrowed his brow in confusion. Sometimes it was easy to tell what hurt him and other times it wasn’t.

Izzy pleaded, “Alec, please let me make you something to eat.”

“NO!” Jace barked out, not willing to subject Alec to Izzy’s cooking under any circumstances.

She glared at him, “I’m sure mom would be happy to cook something or we could pick up some takeout.”

For a second, Jace thought that Alec was going to cave just to get their sister off his back, but he said, “I’m fine.”

“Alec, this isn’t good. This isn’t healthy. You can’t just work around the clock. You haven’t slept, you haven’t eaten. Seriously. I can’t let you keep going like this.There’s a war going on and you need to take care of yourself.”

Alec squinted one eye at her. “It would be great if everyone would stop reminding me what’s at stake like I don’t already know. I appreciate the concern, Izzy, but I’m fine.”

Shit. Jace quickly tried to think of what to do about these two immovable forces. “Alec, I can’t take much more of this sparring today. How about we go shoot some arrows off the roof? You can help me with my technique.”

“You hate archery.” He said stiffly, but Jace noticed the hint of a smile trying to break through.

“Yeah, well its a usefull skill, or so my parabatai always tells me. Unless you are worried I’m going to show you up?”

Alec scoffed, “Right. Like that’ll ever happen.”

“We’ll see. Can you grab the bows? I’ll get some water and meet you there.”

Alec eyed him suspiciously, but he didn’t linger, glad for something else to keep him busy.

Izzy put a hand on her hip. “Jace, I cannot believe you are really helping him work himself to death. This is cra-”

“He can’t! Okay?! He can’t stop.”

“What’s that mean?”

“I mean…….he literally cannot stop moving. He will fall apart if he does. Trust me on this.”

“What? What happened? Are things really that bad?” Izzy asked, looking at the empty doorway like she was thinking about running after Alec.

“Yes. They really are. I just…I feel it. You know? It hurts like hell. He is barely keeping it together.”

Izzy shook her head. “Because of the sword? I knew Magnus was upset, but I didn’t realize things were this bad.”

“No, I think there’s more. At first I thought it was about Max, because it was around that same time, but then Max got better and Alec stayed the same. Then it hit me when we were in the downworlder council. His emotions were so overwhelming that I was about to crawl out of my own skin. I still can’t believe he kept it together in there. I have no idea how he did it.” Jace nearly cringed at the memory of it. “I don’t think they are together anymore, Izzy.”

“Dammit. Oh, Alec. This is the worst timing. He needs a clear head or he’s going to get hurt.”

“He has one. He’s throwing himself into work. He’s keeping himself together that way. So we have to just let him do this his way for now. You have to trust me. Just a few more days, ok? I’ve never seen him this way, ever. I don’t know what’s going to happen if he stops.”

“Okay, but one of us needs to be with him at all times. No running off. We have to be there.”

“Deal. You go get some burgers and I’ll go let Alec kick my ass in archery. Again.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr @blj2007.


End file.
